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 Martin Luther King Conference

Martin Luther King Jr., 8th annual Human Rights Conference Saturday, January 14, 2006 8:30am - 4pm Whatcom Community College’s Syre Center Registration begins onsite at 8:30 AM. No advance registration The Indigenous, the Invisible and the Displaced: Dimensions of the World of Color keynote speaker Joseph Bowen member of the Upper Skagit Nation and an attorney practicing in Mount Vernon Mr. Bowen has been active both in the affairs of his tribe, and more broadly in politics in Skagit County and Northwest Washington

Conference highlights include:

» Native American Education Workshops:
A track including two workshops on Native American education issues. Laverne Oreiro, a Lummi tribal leader, and Michelle Vendiola of Northwest Indian College will be facilitators.
» Nationalism versus Internationalism:
Conversation and Discussion over the advantages and difficulties associated with prioritizing a political identity based upon allegiance to a nation-state versus an identity based on one's sense of affinity with humanity globally.
» In Defense of Immigrant Rights:
Panel will include the ACLU and members of the Coalition for Professional Law and Border Enforcement to speak about the Minutemen border vigilantes, and broader issues concerning the situation of immigrants in Whatcom County.
» Controversial Issues Process:
Joel Nelson presents an National Coalition Building Institute workshop on how to relate and communicate to people with opposing viewpoints.
» Arab: Reel or Real:
Film depicting stereotypes of Arabs in film and television, to be followed by a discussion led by Western Professor, Leonard Helfgot, an authority on Middle Eastern History and Politics.

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CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
LOCATION: Whatcom Community College’s Syre Center

8:00 - 4:00 Registration
8:30 - 4:00 Free Childcare

9:00 - 9:05
Introduction & Welcome: WHRTF Co Chairs

9:15 - 9:55
Keynote Speaker: Joseph Bowen

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AM - WORKSHOPS - SESSION I
10:00 - 11:30
Dual Language Enrichment
Facilitator: Doug Banner  of the Whatcom Day Academy

10:00 - 11:30
Native American Education: K-12
Facilitator: Laverne Oriero of the Lummi Nation

10:00 - 11:30
Arabs: Real or Reel?
Facilitators: Sherri Reed, Shabnam Mojtahedi, and Professor Helfgott

10:00 - 11:30
Power of Hope
Facilitators: Maureen Nelson and Alberto Mejia

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AM - WORKSHOPS - SESSION II
11:45 - 1:15
Making Room! Perspectives on Indigenizing the Public and Private Schools
Facilitators: Michelle Vendiola

11:45 - 1:15
Nationalism versus Internationalism: Competing Terrains of Loyalty in a Changing World
Facilitators: Task Force Co-chair Barbara Rofkar and Education Chair Damani Johnson

11:45 - 1:15
Black Commodification
Facilitators: Avianca Walker and Eric Davis of Project 2050

11:45 - 1:15
Education within the Juvenile Justice System
Facilitators: Doug Judge of the Center for Educational Pluralism

11:45 - 1:15
Making Meaning While Reading to Children
Facilitators: Students from Western's Woodring College of Education and the Center for Educational Pluralism

1:15 - 2:00 LUNCH BREAK

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PM - WORKSHOPS - SESSION III

2:15 - 3:45
In defense of Immigrant Rights
Facilitators: Matt Adams (ACLU-WA board member and attorney
with the NW Immigrant Rights Project) and Rosalinda Guillen (CPLBE)

2:15 - 3:45
Hunger: The Hidden Face of Poverty in our Community
Facilitator: Mike Cohen of the Bellingham Food Bank, Rio Thomas of Small Potatoes Gleaning Project and Helen Lofton from the Rainbow Center

2:15 - 3:45
Controversial Issue Process -National Coalition Building Institute
Facilitator: Joel G. Nelson

2:15 - 3:45
What Do Children Hear?
Facilitators: Michael Vendiola, Karen Hoelscher, and Anna Carey from WWU

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CONFERENCE IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL

Sponsors:
••Whatcom Human Rights Task Force
•••••

For information about previous conferences
please view: 2001, 2002. 2003, 2004, 2005

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